F1- Round Two

[NAZCA C2]

Malaysian GP practice is on tonight on SPEED (March 18). Will the Malaysian GP be like Australia? Will Ferrari continue domination? Maybe Renault can get a win. Hopefully Ron Dennis will inform DC that qualifying determines your starting position in the race, and remind Kimi to keep the car on the asphalt. I still have hope for Mclaren but they need to get it together. Anybody have any predictions or comments about round 2?

[Deckard]

Well, having just watched the Free Practice 1 live timing on the net (I'm at work) it seems so far that the Ferrari boys will dominate again.
However, the 2 major things to note so far is that:
1. Davidson and Zonta are in 3rd & 4th position, although they have nothing to lose if they detonate their engines.
2. How far back the McLarens and Williams are (again).

[bige321786]

Malaysian GP practice is on tonight on SPEED (March 18). Will the Malaysian GP be like Australia? Will Ferrari continue domination? Maybe Renault can get a win. Hopefully Ron Dennis will inform DC that qualifying determines your starting position in the race, and remind Kimi to keep the car on the asphalt. I still have hope for Mclaren but they need to get it together. Anybody have any predictions or comments about round 2?

i still think theres no reason to bet against ferrari at this point. six straight world championships and a dominate victory last week. no reason whatsover to bet against them in my opinion. we shall see however, we shall see.

[NAZCA C2]

if you remember last season, Mclaren dominated the first couple races of the season. hopefully the other teams will catch up to Ferrari and give them a run for their money.

[motorsportnerd]

Michael Schumacher on pole again. Mark Webber second on the grid - both his and Jaguar's first ever front row start. Barricello third. Montoya fourth. Lets hope Ferrari doesn't have it all its own way this time. I hope Webber holds his position or better, but I suspect that he won't stay second for long. www.autosport.com quotes him as wanting to complete the race in the points, so I suspect he race more conservatively than he qualified. I'd say look to Montoya to challenge the Ferraris....
And I note that the pole time was over 4 seconds faster than Alonso's pole time 12 months ago. That is one hell of an increase of lap speeds. How long before the FIA talks more seriously about slowing the cars down - maybe through the oft mooted 2.5 litre V8 formula?

[Ferrari Tifosi]

Well another win for Schumacher, and a great performance by Button. I have a feeling though that Ron Dennis is going to be pretty upset with Ilmor after two consecutive engine failures for his star driver, Raikkonen

[Matra et Alpine]

.. I have a feeling though that Ron Dennis is going to be pretty upset with Ilmor after two consecutive engine failures for his star driver, Raikkonen
True.
Also, Kimi didn't do himself any favours in the post race interview.
Unemotional, mumbling and NOT the kind of image most sponsors want to see.
I fear he'll fall by the way-side if he has anymore events like that and doesn't up his persona. Sad, but drivers today do have to be personalities too !!

[henk4]

Well another win for Schumacher, and a great performance by Button. I have a feeling though that Ron Dennis is going to be pretty upset with Ilmor after two consecutive engine failures for his star driver, Raikkonen

Just as I said somewhere else, now the engine is an Ilmor. If Kimi had won it would have been a Benz for sure.

Anyway, we have now seen Bridgestone performing well under hot circumstances, which to me means that the season has been more or less decided.

[DasModell]

congrats Michael .. congrats Button ... :)

[the real deal]

Good on ya Button. We new you wud do it this year, good start to the year. Michelin you have some work to do. But dont say thats its over just yet. Baharane is all new teritory and it will be an gr8 race!

[NAZCA C2]

Dang! The rest of the F1 teams have a lot of work to do if they are going to be able to challenge Ferrari. Mclaren seems to have improved somewhat, too bad Kimi went out again. It looks like Jaguar actually has a decent car now but having a rookie driver is going to hurt them. Good job to Jenson for getting that podium (suck on that Villenuve).

[Deckard]

Yeah, all the teams have a lot to do (including Ferrari).
Williams seemed to be the only car showing any pace up to the Ferraris, too bad that Ralf blew his engine.
McLaren have proved (once again) that they're on a downward slide from their peak of a few years ago. It happens to all teams (Ferrari were there for a number of years) while BAR and Renault are on their upward slide.

Once Jag figure out what's going on with their starts we should have a better indication of their performance.

I don't think that MS has it in the bag yet, but it's certainly looking good. :D

[bum-man]

Just as I said somewhere else, now the engine is an Ilmor. If Kimi had won it would have been a Benz for sure.

Anyway, we have now seen Bridgestone performing well under hot circumstances, which to me means that the season has been more or less decided.
something against benz henk4? anyway it wasnt a engine failure it was a clutch failure.

[Matra et Alpine]

something against benz henk4? anyway it wasnt a engine failure it was a clutch failure.
Yep just like the Honda coolant failure a few years back - that was it lost all the coolant when the piston went through the block :)
Wouldn't believe what a team said now unless I saw the evidence with my own eyes.
When an F1 locks an engine I'll bet the grips enough to tear the clutch up and then they can claim clutch failure - just cynical in my old age :)
The manfuacturers reputations are too big for it to be sullied with truth :D

[henk4]

something against benz henk4? anyway it wasnt a engine failure it was a clutch failure.

No,but I was referring to another thread, where it was discussed whether the engine was a Benz or an Ilmor. See also Matra's reply.